Washing-machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GRAY, OF MELROSE, NEW XORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND J. R. NYEED AND C. M. CLAY, OF NEW YORK, AND J. XV. DANFORD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,875, dated October 9, 1860.

T o all whom if. may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN GRAY, of Melrose, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented, made, and appliedfto use a certain new and useful Improvement in laslung-Machines, which I denominate the Metropolitan washing-machine, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this speciiicat-ion, wherein- Figure l, is a plan of my said machine and Fig. 2, is a vertical section of the tub and side view of the center drum.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

The nature of my said invention consists of a revolving cylindrical drum with slats set at an angle to the axis of said drum so as to throw the water off by the centrifugal force at the same time that the inclined slats tend to elevate the water, this drum being combined with a conical tub, the inner surface of which is fitted with inclined ribs standing in the same direction as those on the drum, but being stationary, the water in its agitated and revolving movement from the revolution of the drum, runs against these inclined slats producing a downward current against the edge of the tub: the consequence is that the clothes lie in and revolve with a ring of water, and that there is the most violent rinsing of the water through the clothes by the centrifugal force on the surface and the under return current to the drum induced by the inclined slats on the tub.

In the drawing a, is the tub the sides of which are inclined or conical, Z), o, are cleats or ribs setv at an angle of about 6O from the vertical line and attached permanently around the inside of said tub; c, is a cross piece carrying the shaft d, on which is fitted the handle c, and bevel gear f to the bevel pinion g on the shaft 7L, of the drum z'. This drum is formed with two circular heads l, 2, connected by the slats or rods 3, 3, that set at an inclination to the shaft L, of about 6, as shown in Fig. 2. The head 2, is elevated slightly from the bottoni of the tub a, to

allow for a step that receives the lower end of the shaft la, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, but the slats 3, 3, extend to the bottom of the tub or may even set into a circular groove in order that the clothes may not become entangled and wound around the drum.

The cross piece c, is fitted so that it can be removed if necessary and the drum taken out, but this is seldom if ever required as I form all the metallic parts of brass or other metal that will not corrode or require clean- .ing

The operation of my machine will be apparent from the foregoing description, and I have represented the currents produced in the water by blue arrows, the direction in which the drum z' revolves being denoted by the black arrow on it. My machine is simple, cheap, durable and efficient, and is not liable to injure the clothes.

The operation of cleansing is wholly effected by the force of the water through, and the agitation and current above and underneath, there being no rubbing, scouring or compressing of the clothes to wear them or break off the buttons or tear tender fabrics; the power only required to operate it, being necessary to agitate the suds or water, and that, soon assuming a circular current with the motion of the drum assists to make the operation easy rather than to retard its action.

I do not claim the conical tub having inclined cleats or ribs on the inner surface nor do I claim the cylindrical drum either, to oscillate for the purpose of compressing, rubbing or scouring the clothes to be cleansed. But

IVhat I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by the Letters Pat-ent is- The hollow vertical cylinder having open inclined slats and inclined ribs (Z2) to cleanse clothes or other materials by rinsing in the manner herein specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this first day of August 1860.

JOHN GRAY.

Witnesses:

LEMUEL W. SERRELL, THos. GEO. HAROLD. 

